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Topic: Books in the bathroom. (Read 8323 times)

I know Seinfeld did the book in the mens room episode, but I grew up with reading material in the bathroom, so... does anyone else keep reading material in the bathroom? Magazines, comics, paperbacks, or hardcovers (not a nook)? Is it rude to keep what you're personally reading in the bathroom when you're not in there? Is it just gross or unsanitary?

I take my Kindle in with me. I keep a Sudoku book in there though. Before the Kindle, I had rotating books / magazines in there. Just something to keep me occupied.

I will say that I was trained to go to the bathroom this way back when. I was reading at a very early age, so when it came time to potty train, mom bought me a book and we talked about what to do. That was around age 3 as the daycare I was going to required a kid to be potty trained. Since then, it's just been a lot easier to go while reading / occupied. So I wonder how many people read in the bathroom because of that and how many just like reading anywhere.

Eeeeeeeeewwwwww! This topic has come up several times on a book discussion forum to which I belong, and it seems as though more people agree with those here. But for me? Major ugh. Even if I was in there long enough to pick up a magazines I would never, never, never do it. I am so careful with the very nasty bacteria in bathrooms that it's not even an option.

For a lot of people it does help the, um, process along to have reading material, to occupy the mind while the body does its thing. I don't think it's really a physical necessity, more of a psychological/habitual thing. When I smoked, I absolutely had to have a cigarette while talking on the phone ... same sort of connection.

Until I saw that "Seinfeld" episode, though, it never occurred to me that my bathroom reading material might have cooties. Yes, I've read the studies that say flushing spreads toilet germs throughout the room, but if I'm able to put my toothbrush in my mouth without getting sick, I don't worry too much about what random germs might be on a book or magazine that went into the little room with me.

My parents always have reading material, Dad can spend hours in there, I suspect to get away from the wife and 4 daughters

I take books, magazines, iphone, Ds, whatever in with me but I don't leave stuff there. Sometimes I'll open my mail in there! I always close the lid before I flush so nothing in there is going to get any more germs on them than anywhere else in the house.

Oh yes, kitchens are filthy too. Cook's Illustrated also looked at kitchen cleaners and their "effectiveness." I use bleach in the bathroom and, based on the CI article, undiluted plain vinegar in the kitchen.

I don't leave books in my bathroom - there's no reasonable place to put them that can't potentially get wet - but I take one with me for... times I know I'll be there a while

I don't think it's unsanitary, particularly because 1) I tend to splash a lot when I'm washing my face / brushing my teeth so the surfaces get wiped clean at least twice a day and 2) I always wash my hands after "the deed is done" and before picking the book back up to return to the living room.

However, as a librarian I have to say: please don't take library books to bathrooms, particularly public bathrooms - for your own safety as well as that of the people who borrow it after you. Wrapping them in foil so they can be wiped down can only do so much...